Vacation stuff.

Tom and Tara at my dad's house. I like this silly photo.




The tree after it came down.




My favorite gift. A set of dishes.

The tree banging on the house. It was the one in the previous picture that is no more.

Christmas with Tom and Sheri (after Christmas)

Inside the Christmas Story house. Near the bathroom.

The house and the crowds!

The fam

It's been fun. We've gone to the Christmas Story house in Cleveland. I've seen my friend, Debi and we attempted to learn to crochet. Well.... I can do it but get stuck knowing where to put the hook when I do a second row. They tell me it gets easier. I don't know. I want to be like my grandparents and mom, who could make afghans.

I've been hampered by an ear infection that just won't leave me. I am beginning to worry that it's my jaw and not just an infection. That scares me.

The Christmas house was just too fun. It was really crowded but I managed. There is the original house from the movie, which has been set up to look like a 1941 house inside, very much like the movie. There is also a museum and a gift shop in separate houses

Emily is turning 10 this Monday, Jan. 5th. She wants to get her ears pierced AND go to the toy store. She's on the precipice. Not yet a woman, not just a little girl.

One of the trees is down. It was contracting in the winter just enough that when a gust of wind came, it would slam in the house with a sound of 10 doors slamming. This happened day in and day out. One down. Yipeeee!

I have pictures from Christmas that were cute. Maybe I'll post them on another day.

Mom is home!

Mom got out early. Yipppeeee! She is home now on oxygen. She's a real trooper. My dad bought her the little ostrich and it is so cute.

Merry Christmas!

no Christmas cheer for my mom

My mom is in the hospital with pneumonia. She had been sounding bad for some time and my dad tried to get her in to the doctor. They said yesterday that they could get her in on the 15th. He knew they had a cancellation because his friend, who goes to the same doctor, couldn't make it that day. "Oh we've filled that spot with 4 other people." That's bull; no one's that busy. They told my dad if she's so bad to take her to the hospital and that's what he did. She'll be there through Christmas. Poor Mom.

I'm going there today to see her. Pneumonia is so dangerous for normally healthy people and scary for people like my mom.

Then I tried to call my dad last night and he accidentally took his phone off the hook again. Poor dad, too. He's so tired.

Christmas Tree & Exhausted Dog

I'm not sure why Millie is so sleepy, she didn't really help set up Christmas decorations.

When life is busy, I should let sleeping animals be a soothing sight. But it's not. It only creates envy. I envy how animals can sleep and not have a care in the world.

But it's an even game: they're usually envious of our meals.

TV and Musical

Today was a weird and wonderful day. Wonderful because I am gainfully employed and I really like the work. Now here's the weird part. I was asked by the assistant superintendent to do an on air interview for the cable access channel for my district discussing my job. I agreed. Then I got nervous. Today I showed up and the room was a real studio with all kinds of lights and cameras and an interview couch- the whole nine yards. The guy running it couldn't have been nicer which put me at ease--- a little. The only thing was that he said that there were no retakes. One and done. So I got my microphone on and off we went. The assist. super. started reading the prompter and then turned to me. My first thought was, What if I open my mouth to speak and nothing comes out?!!! Well, I did OK. I didn't appear nervous, I don't think. I was asked couple of questions about how I would change things in my program and I think I got a bit repetitious but otherwise I sounded moderately intelligent. At the end, she wrapped up speaking and we were to remain "chatting" while the video went to black. I felt like I was on the View or something. hee hee. I'm going to be on the cable access for a month. Oh, the poor citizens. They are going to get really sick of me.

Tonight's Emily's Christmas play/musical.

They say there may be a snow day tomorrow due to the weather. WOOT!
I mean, darn, I really want to impart knowledge to the children. :)

tagged

Oh boy! I have been tagged. I have never been tagged. Since we got a new computer lately the files were buried but I found it! The 4th picture from the fourth folder is Tara 4 years ago in a restaurant after visiting Santa.
I tag Amy and Bookgrrl.

Graduation!!!!

I did it!!! I finally graduated. I had a heck of a time last night figuring out how to wear the hood over the gown. Then when I got to the ceremony and we were all waiting to line up, I ended up helping two other graduates with their hood.

The day went smoothly. Although, they gave us this card to give to the announcer with our name spelled phonetically. Well, when I got up to the announcer, she asked me my name. So I told her Joann Marie C. Well guess what? She called me Joann RAY C. Nice. Oh well. She messed some other names up, too so I was in good company. :)

My family came and I spotted them in the crowd rather quickly. My mom and dad had very close seats since my mom is in a wheelchair and couldn't be in the stands.

My goodness I feel relieved and happy that my seemingly never ending studying is over!!!!

We all went out to eat afterwards and had fun. I got wonderful graduation gifts of beautiful jewelry from my dad and aunt and uncle.

Here are a couple of the pictures of one of the best days of my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOANN! DECEMBER 5TH

Hey everyone, it's Jay sneakin' in on here...

I've got a little secret to tell ya... Today is Joann's BIRTHDAY!! She is waaay too modest to post it herself, but today is her actual birthday. She'll be at work all day, then she has to make sure the kiddos are off safely to scout camp tonight. No rest for the weary.

Anyway, I know she is very grateful for each and every one of you reading her blog. So let's at least use this moment to give her some virtual birthday cheer.

yay!

Thanksgiving

Dad waving. He always waves in pics. hee

My sweetie

Mom

The girls goofing around.

Part of the meal. The turkey tasted better than it looked.

It was a great day. I went over to my parents' house early to put in the bird. My dad helped me get it started. Everyone was going to come to our house but our oven broke. We got another one online and it is sitting in our family room right now until an electrician can hook it up. So I took everything over to Mom and Dad's and cooked it there.

Later the girls and Jay and Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim came. We all ate and fun was had by all. Then Aunt Dee washed what seemed like a million dishes and I helped tidy up.

The girls played outside only briefly. They weren't really dressed for the snow.

Some of the favorite moments of the day:

• Being with my mom and dad early in the morning
  
• Everyone being together during the meal.
  
• Stuffing
  
• Talking to my aunt
  
  
  
• Turkey finally getting cooked!
  
• Invited to Christmas Eve at McGraw house


• Making food for the ones I love most in the world.


• Emily riding home with me and talking "woman to woman" as she put it. :)

new do's

Tara's new haircut, wearing her favorite zoo shirt

I love Emily's new cut so much! No more tangles!

I'm gonna wash that gray right outta my hair!

Today we all three got our hair cut. I love how Emily's turned out the most. Her hair is now in a bob. It's a bit hard to see in the picture I took. I need a new camera I guess.

I'm really liking my new job. I got my ID cards for my medical plan in the mail a couple days ago and felt giddy. I know it doesn't take much to make me happy. :) I am really glad that a big test over six chapters for my night class is finished. I don't know how I did. I think I did alright.

Jay has been on leaf duty for the last couple of weeks. Imagine 12 oak trees surrounding the house. Nuff said.

We have decided to move our girls to my new district for school. It has much more opportunities since our current district's levies will just not pass. Because I am a full time teacher, the girls can go there tuition free. Yay!

Our oven died. I mean really died. It was 43 years old and it had duct tape on it since we moved in five years ago. We ordered a new one that should arrive right before Thanksgiving. I hope so, since I have lots of family coming, and I imagine they might want some turkey!

Learning to use a nail and hammer

The girls made leaf presses at Home Depot today as a Brownie function. Then they gave three bags of toys each to Goodwill to earn a patch. I was proud of them. It wasn't easy giving up some of their toys but they did it willingly. They still enjoy Scouts and I'm glad.

Jay stayed and helped all the girls make their projects. He thought for sure that one of them would bash their finger with the hammer but thankfully no one did. He said that the instructor told them to pick up a nail and they all held up screws instead. Cute.

Halloween and stuff

Millie

The loot

The princess and the rock star ( Hannah Montana)

Halloween cards

Halloween was fun. The weather held out for the girls and me to round the neighborhood. Last year they petered out after half the neighborhood. This year they made it all the way around.

The girls are at round two of swimming lessons. They failed the last one. So now they are retaking the class. We'll see...

Three more days of old job...then on to new job... yipppeeee!

The girls also got a Halloween card and money from Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim. Before sunset Emily had spent her money on candy and Webkinz. Tara took her time. She lasted two days. Then she got four stuffed dogs.

The hamsters got loose AGAIN. And again it was a few days until they were all found. Tara the hamster whisperer found Goldie today downstairs. Tara is on some weird hamster frequency. They appear to her. If she could only learn to keep the cage closed!

Thoughts on work

So I gave my notice at work and within 30 minutes I was getting congratulated by staff at my school. Word sure traveled fast! Throughout this week people I never talk to at school have commented to me about my new job. Schools are very interesting places. Your business isn't really your business.

The kids at my school are a hoot. They are full of energy and are very tactile. They are always touching each other. There have been so many times when I've said, "Let go of him!" in the hall. Middle school. Need I say more? I will miss them though. I will miss them saying "Hey Miss C!" I have one more week. The days are dragging. I want to get to my new job. I want to get settled and start my new career. But there are still IEP meetings to be had, modifications to be made, endless paperwork and then it's on to my new work life.

I got my cap and gown and I am so excited about graduation. I have class in a couple of hours. Just about a month and a half away now. I can't believe it!

The best news ever

I interviewed for an ESL (English as a Second Language) position this week. I got the word later that same day that I had gotten the job!!!!!!!!!! It is the best job I could ever hope for. It is for an ESL teacher/consultant. I have to give my other job my two week resignation on Monday. That will be awkward. But this new job is the best of my entire career. I am grateful beyond belief.

I am going in soon to sign the contract and get more info. The interviewer, one of three, called me to tell me so I could give notice to my other employer.

Today we all went down to Amish country to celebrate. I know that isn't Jay's favorite way to spend a day but he went anyway. What a good sport he is. It was a beautiful day.

Tomorrow Tara has TWO birthday parties to attend. Both are for boys. So today we were in the land of boy's toys at Target. Boys have some cool stuff out there. I'll have to venture into that aisle more often! We got one boy a huge stuffed snake. Apparently he's into reptiles. We got the other kid a toy motorcycle that does wheelies. It's hard buying for complete strangers (other than to Tara I mean). I hope they like the presents.

Happy Happy Happy Dance happening in the C. household! New jobs RULE!

Em and Millie

Last night sleeping. The camera is still taking blurry pictures. But they were so cute together. Millie will push Em's head over so she can get a better position on the pillow. :)

You will act like you love each other or else!

It started so sweet. Jay bought the girls new jammies. Let's photograph the kids tonight before bed.

Me- "Get in closer Emily. "

Emily- "No, Dad says Tara's hands smell funny."

Jay- "She washed them Em."

Me- "Get in closer Emily!"

Poor maligned Tara tried to hug Emily who now has a half panicked, grimace of a smile.

Me having had sassy students give me the day from hades today am particularly not in the mood for Em's germ a phobic tendencies. "You will get that pained look off your face or you will lose a webkinz!!!!! "I know it was a bit dramatic but you don't know the day I had.

The camera turns out blurry photos and the whole process begins again. The new photos came out equally blurry.

BIG FAT SIGH. This was going to be such a sweet little photo, showing them and our new couch in their new jammies. Well, here is the best one. The others show Em looking like someone just smeared donkey poo on her hands.

The chickens are coming home to roost

You know when kids are little and they ask for something that you don't feel they're ready for or you just don't have the fortitude to do it at that moment? Here's an example. When I was teeny tiny I asked my mom for my ears to be pierced. "You can when you're 11," was her reply. Guess where we spent my 11th birthday? That's right, at the mall getting my ears and then HER ears pierced.

Well, a long, long time ago Emily asked for her ears to be pierced. "You can when you're 10," was my response thinking that 10 years old seemed a LIFETIME away. Apparently, throughout the years I also promised her that her bedtime would increase to 9pm and she could have a sleep over with her friends then too. Guess who's turning 10 in a few short months? My baby that's who. Gulp. She came bouncing in the room this evening reminding me of all the things I promised her. Now I know how my mom felt. The circle of life goes on...

Tara

It's been a long time since I posted- so long that I had to sign back in!

I haven't had any inspiration to write lately. But I thought I'd share my afternoon with Tara. She's been a bit under the weather but otherwise herself.

First we had a bit of a rough time studying for her social studies test (or soakeyal study, as Tara pronounces it). The topic was urban, suburb, and rural communities. I have found that these are not easy words to learn.

Then Tara decided she was hungry. So being the gourmet chef that I am, I went straight for the freezer to offer her the choice of mac and cheese or lasagna. "I want whatever you want," she said. I asked her if she wanted a fork or a spoon.
"I want whatever you want." The same went for the drink, which was a diet soda. We sat and ate together.

I have a migraine today. So before going out with Jay and Emily to open swimming she told me... "Now Mommy, I want you to watch a couple of shows and then I want you to go straight to bed after you finish your homework. You need your rest." I nodded obediently. Inside I just smiled.

Jay and I were discussing today how even our pets are all girls when he said...

"It's like living in a flower."

:) Someone needs to take him to a ball game soon. :)

If things can possibly go wrong....

Yesterday I spent my day off dealing with college complications. Apparently, they lost my prospectus and other documents essential for graduation. Jay and I tore the house upside down finding copies. I learned an important lesson; always have copies. Do not trust that things are running smoothly. Find out. I went there and waited for the lady to finally return late from her lunch. I wanted to put the documents directly in her hands. Then I was told to go to another office for more documents. That office told me to go to the one I had just come from. It's enough to make a person a bit jaded.

Today, I had to take another Praxis, this time for a reading endorsement.

Jay told me to blog about it because he thought my story was funny....

The room held about 40 people. I was assigned a seat at the back of the room right by the air conditioner. It was making quite a noise. It was a constant grmmmmhmmmm sound. The proctors were very stern and began reading the instructions. The only problem was they were speaking softly and I was by an industrial sized machine just a hummin away in my ear at the same time.

So this is what I heard.

GRMMMMMHMMMMM .... "listen carefully"..... GRMMMMMMMHMMMMMMMMM ..."place these numbers"...GRMMMMHMMMMMM .... "354t"...GRMMMMMHMMMMMMMMM.... "important".... GRMMMHMMMMMM... "questions"... GRMMMMMHMMMM ..

I asked the lady as she was handing me my test if she could speak up a bit. She looked at me sternly as if to say "Are we going to have a problem with you?" and said, "Do you need to be re-seated?" I said no thank you. I think by reading her lips and process of elimination, I got the gist of what I needed. :)

Balance

Balance is hard to achieve for me. I and so many of my friends and family have lots of hats to wear and balls to juggle, as the idioms go. My new job is taxing and the learning curve is high. Any new job is the same. And the house and kids don't suddenly stop needing attention because I am busier than before. And my college class is demanding respect and its proper place on the hierarchy of my responsibilities. I want to be a good wife, friend, daughter, relative, mother and teacher and student. I have found that I tend to dwell on one aspect and the others suffer. Lately, I have to tell myself not to think about work when not at work. Otherwise, I'm always kind of there. I want to kick back and watch a show, but then feel guilty because the girls aren't being attended to at that moment. I guess we all feel this way. I just wish I did it better.

On a lighter note, I am not in this alone and that makes all the difference.

If you eat at Subway, save your little game piece and go online. You may win. I am doing it. When all of us eat, I get four game pieces. We've done it twice and I've won a cookie and chips. Anyway, it's fun. Try it! I am an advertiser's DREAM. :)

Mom's birthday

Mom enjoying her new balloons from Aunt Dee

Mom had potatoes, jello and pudding cake. She got wind chimes, clothes, new towels, a funny card and a cookbook ( a replica of Better Homes 1953 edition). The girls were happy to get two dollars each from Aunt Dee. I still must assert that I was here first. I'm just setting the record straight. I'll be waiting for my two dollars....

After Aunt Delores and Uncle Jim left, I sat with my mom and read her some of the cookbook. We laughed because every recipe seemed to call for onions. So when I read the recipe and got to onions I would stop and she would say "ONIONS" and we'd both laugh. We also read some of the gross ones that called for pig knuckles as ingredients. I hate sausage and I swear every other night growing up we had sausage and brussel sprouts for dinner. So when we got to any recipe like that, I joked with my mom that we were now in "Faith town". I called her the living Octoberfest representative. She laughed. It was so fun.

Ten on Thursday

1. I just got home from my night class, hopefully my last one before graduation in December. What a long, long road.
2. My first week of work is behind me. I have had ups and downs that I feel better sharing in person rather than on a blog.
3. Jay is bathing the girls as I write this. What a great dad he is.
4. Emily and Tara are in different schools this year and are liking it so far.
5. I cleaned my whole basement and I feel so good about it! It was really messy. Really messy. Embarrassingly messy. But now it's clean!
6. Our power, cable, phone, car and hot water all broke this month. Not fun.
7. The hamsters and Millie are happy and healthy.
8. Em saw a profanity on the bathroom door at school today. She asked her classmates what it meant. They laughed at her. That breaks my heart. So when is it a crime to be innocent? The word was b----.
9. On a similar note, Tara came home today sad that a girl no longer wanted to be her friend. I wish they would never get hurt. But I guess no one leaves this world untouched.
10. On a happier note, I can't wait to celebrate my mom's 62 birthday this Saturday. She is an amazing person and I want her day to be special and fun for her. :)

Fishing and Visiting weekend

I thought the sky was beautiful from the boat.

Toward the end when everyone was getting tired.

Fishing for Nessie.

Stuffed bear is fishing with Tara.

Dad's camper.

Dad, Jay, Em, Tara, Mom and I went fishing at Cinnamon Lake on Saturday. It was a beautiful day. Mom stayed in my dad's camper while the rest of us went out on his pontoon boat. Everyone had fun but the girls got antsy after .0001 of a second of fishing. "Why aren't we catching anything?" My dad told them to be patient. The girls fully expected the fish to swarm to the worm, even though they cast the line about two inches from the surface at first. Well, it was a learning experience anyway. By the way... we caught nothing.

Then yesterday we had friends over for the day. It was great seeing my friends. It was cute seeing all the kids playing and then giving us singing concerts using a dollar store play microphone. Emily was too shy to sing in front of the adults but she sang for the kids. She uses these elaborate hand gestures that she learned from watching American Idol contestants. It cracks me up.